Tuesday, December 21, 2010

So many catalogs feature idyllic holiday scenes. Usually there's a Christmas tree in the middle, with presents piled under it. A few toys. Children playing in the background. Some mistletoe and holly. A fireplace. All trying to get you to order junk for people you don't like.

So why should a science supply company be any different? Shouldn't they have a holiday catalog, too?

(click to enlarge)

Because if finding a skull or anatomically-correct partially-dissected torso under a tree doesn't say "Merry Christmas!", I don't know what does.*

* Depending on the location of the tree. If it's one in your front yard, that isn't good.

24 comments:

When my husband and I were first married we rented part of a house, we lived in one half and the landlord lived in the other. I believe I mentioned his son's...ummm....extra-curricular activities once here. Anyway, the landlord was an avid hunter as well as a biology professor. One day he killed a deer (and gave me some to try...it was horrible!) and decided he was going to keep the skull, dry it all out and bring it to one of his classes. For reasons I never figured out, he decided to dry out this scull near the side door, which led into our house. He never told us he was doing this. Now, we didn't see it right away, no, it took a while, and by the time we noticed it, there was no flesh, it was just a scull. Keep in mind, we noticed it at 2:30 in the morning after having been out with friends enjoying some drinks at the local bars.

OK, I concede ,with tears of bitterness in my eyes over what should have been, there are those children who find such matters as math and science to be fascinating. I was such a child. To some degree I remain so, for even last night I set my alarm for 3 so I could observe the lunar eclipse at Winter Solstice. 18 degrees and I was raptly enjoying every minute. Alas, one Christmas I got a bicycle instead of the Chemistry set--it all went to hell then-- Law School was inevitable. So encourage the tykes so they can aspire to a decent and productive life. Lest they turn out like me.

Ooh, I once had a summer job painting a horse skull and a cow skull to show where the different bones were. I didn't use the same color code as they've used for that human skull, but they did look so pretty when I was done.

i have such a skull and a hand in my office. kids love them. and i had a globe and a chemistry set and a microscope in third grade. and i got up in the middle of the night to see the solstice lunar eclipse. nerd. nerd. nerd.

Those are great! I have a skeleton in my bathroom - definitely gets a reaction when guests visit. That's after they've seen the torso and brain sitting on shelves in the living room. Anatomy supply places vary widely in price, so for those who really think they might get some of those things, shop around (and factor in shipping). Yep, I'm a geek.

My biology prof once bought a fetal pig (at his discounted rate) for his son for his birthday. Apparently the son wasn't thrilled with it, but they dissected it together for some father/son bonding time.

I got both my kids microscopes for Christmas one year (they actually hung around in working condition for more than a year) and then a frog skeleton for one occasion (he's really really into frogs).

As for myself, my major collection is comprised of double-edged blades. After I left their father I redecorated my bedroom with my blades (the majority of them as most of them were mine). My friend Memphis Kat came over and stopped in the doorway. "Kat?" "Yes." "Ummmm, what will a man say if he comes into your bedroom and sees all these daggers and swords??" I grinned and said, "Kat?""Yes." "Honey, if he can't handle it, he doesn't need to be in my bedroom, does he?" She nodded, "You have a point."

Esther, sounds like an English professor I had. Guy was nuts. Brought a dead cat (I didn't want to know where he had gotten it) that was nailed to a board and had paint all around it to class once. Said it was art. He also showed a foreign pornographic film with subtitles in class once. Never did figure out what either of those things had to do with English 101.

Same guy used to ask me out for drinks all the time, knowing full well I was not yet of legal drinking age. Also handed back all our papers covered with cat paw prints.

You know, come to think of it, I had a professor who taught the chemical dependency classes (I was a psych major) who used to ask me out for drinks all the time, too. Geeez. What kind of girl did they think I was?! ;)

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